Natick Housing celebrates renovated apartments, fewer vacancies

Thursday

Aug 7, 2014 at 6:00 AM

By Brian BensonDaily News Staff

NATICK – About three years ago, the Natick Housing Authority had 11 percent of its apartments vacant and struggled to pay its bills on time and maintain adequate financial reserves.The agency Wednesday celebrated the completion of renovations on 22 apartments for the elderly and low-income tenants, helping to lower its vacancy rate to 3 percent. And, its finances have improved in recent years, enabling the authority to build up adequate reserves, Acting Executive Director Eileen Merritt said."We’ve done a lot of good things here," she said, noting tenants have already moved into the renovated apartments.Thanks to the authority’s board, staff and tenants and partnerships with outside organizations such as the state Department of Housing and Community Development and the town, things have turned around, authority officials said.The state provided about $174,000 to the authority to renovate the apartments, as part of an effort statewide to turn over public housing apartments that have been vacant for more than 60 days.This is the second batch of apartments for which Natick has received the state funding.Aaron Gornstein, the state’s undersecretary for housing and community development, praised Natick for bringing "nearly 50 units back online so quickly for the families and seniors who need it desperately."Gornstein praised legislation signed by Gov. Deval Patrick Wednesday, including provisions that give local authorities more tools, require a tenant to be on authority boards and encourage collaboration among authorities in a region."It’s the next chapter of state public housing in Massachusetts," he said.Carolynn Anderson, president of the Cedar Gardens Tenant Organization, said she is glad to learn tenant representatives will be involved in all housing authority boards, a beneficial partnership that already happens in Natick."I’m so happy to see the accomplishments (in Natick)," she said.David Parish, chairman of the authority’s board, praised Merritt for her "remarkable amount of perseverance" as the authority recovered from prior woes.The authority's work is not finished. The agency plans to use money from the state and the town Affordable Housing Trust Fund to renovate congregate housing at 72 South Main St. that the state Department of Mental Health will use.Parish said some facility design problems may not be able to be resolved in the agency's properties, but the authority is committed to continuing to make improvements."We are making progress and will continue to do so," he said.Brian Benson can be reached at 508-626-3964 or bbenson@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @bbensonmwdn.